Today’s predicted meteorological conditions over the Guiana Space Center enable the consideration of resuming chronological operations for the 16th Vega Flight (VV16) launch.

Subject to confirmation of favorable conditions, the new targeted liftoff timing for the SSMS PoC flight is Saturday, June 27 at precisely:

> 9:51:10 p.m., Washington, D.C. time

> 10:51:10 p.m., Kourou, French Guiana time

> 01:51:10 a.m., Universal Time (UTC), on June 28

> 3:51:10 a.m., Paris & Rome time, on June 28.

As high-altitude winds above the Guiana Space Center remain unfavorable, Arianespace has taken the decision not to initiate the final chronology operations for Flight VV16 on Saturday, June 20, 2020.

A new target date will be announced as soon as possible, based on the evolution of weather conditions.

The Vega launch vehicle and its 53 spacecraft payloads are in stable and safe conditions.

Due to currently unfavorable wind conditions at altitude above the Guiana Space Center, Arianespace has decided not to initiate the final phase of launch preparation operations.

Subject to favorable weather conditions, the soonest possible launch date for the SSMS PoC Flight is Saturday, June 20 at:

THE SPACEPORT IN KOUROU RESUMES THE OPERATIONS FOR THE FLIGHT OF THE ROCKET THAT WILL BRING 52 SATELLITES INTO ORBIT THANKS TO SSMS

The upcoming Vega VV16 flight will be launched - together with the new SSMS payload dispenser - by the end of March and the integration campaign has already started. 

The units assembling the launcher - made in Avio - landed in Kourou, French Guyana.

Paris, 21st June 2017 – Avio, a leader in the aerospace industry listed on the Milan Stock Exchange, has presented the European Space Agency (ESA) project SSMS (Small Spacecraft Mission Service) at the International Paris  Air Show Le Bourget. The project is supported by the Italian Space Agency and the Czech Republic.